Just who is _Psyclone? |
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Since James (_Psyclone) Boyle blew onto the scene about two years ago, the Colmcille Climbers website has become the perfect spot to read and write of his exploits. His celebrity was established after two magnificent falls in 2001 [2001 climbing report] [Bunagee, Culdaff, Donegal report] and I want to use this space to answer some of the questions I’m asked about _Psyclone. Does he really exist? Yes. At the time of writing he is alive and well and living in Derry. At the time of reading nothing can be guaranteed. I could not have invented him if I had tried. His name is legion hereabouts, and whenever he meets a climber for the first time he is greeted with “So, you’re _Psyclone!” Where did he come from? This is hard to answer. He just arrived one day, though he probably existed before we knew him. He claims to be from Annagary in Donegal, but he speaks English with a Scottish accent and Gaelic with a funny accent. It might sound like a line from an old Western, but…no-one knows where he came from and no-one asked. What does he do? When he’s not climbing? He’s studying electronics and stuff at university. He’s on a placement year and he’s working in industry locally. He probably seems quite sensible to his colleagues at the office. Why “_Psyclone”? It’s his nick. If that means nothing then you are not a computer hacker. Was the fall at Bunagee really that impressive? I’m telling you! He fell at least 25 foot and ripped out four friends in the descent. He was caught by the rope only inches from the ground and was face to white face with me when he stopped. The route was Bawg in till the Oxtar, Sur – an equally improbable name – VS 4c. But the bandana comment…that wasn’t true, was it? OK, that was embellishment. To fill in for those who haven’t read it, I reported that _Psyke asked whether his bandana was disturbed in the fall. He didn’t. He has a habit of climbing in a black bandana that has “BOLLOCKS” emblazoned across the forehead. When he took his spectacular nosedive at Cruit Island his bandana landed on the boulders where his head very nearly joined it. He subsequently bought a helmet (and sometimes puts it on). However, he did shout “I breathe stone” after his successful ascent of Peapob VS 4c at Culdaff [Peapob report Culdaff Donegal]. Is he bold, then? Brave as a lion and twice as dangerous. I’ve said this before. Being brave, by my reckoning, is understanding danger and then overcoming the fear that follows. By this definition _Psyke would not be brave because he does not understand danger, therefore feels no fear, therefore does not have to overcome it. QED. Having said that, it’s damned exciting being out with the chap, don’t you know. You almost seem to enjoy his falls. Isn’t that callous? I would say pragmatic. I can answer the question circuitously: I get pleasure from seeing him live despite his falls. When I belay him, I like to stand safely back from the foot of the climb – creating a sort of “landing strip”. I expect him to fall every time he leads – that way I am ready for anything and get to enjoy his successes as much as he does. So far he has not been hurt, but I have a morbid nightmare where I have to report his injuries to his dear Mum (who watches the website avidly for the latest stories of his adventures). I hope this never comes to pass, but my speeches are all pre-written just in case. Whatever will he say when he sees this page?
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